Process for blending and conditioning tobacco



Oct. 8, 1935. H. s. BOGATY PROCESS FOR BLENDING-AND CONDITIONING TOBACCO' 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug.* 3, 1933 O 1935- H. s. BOGATY PROCESS FOR BLENDINCO AND CONDITIONING TOBACCO SSheets-Sheet 2' Original Filed Aug. 3, 1933 Oct. 8, 1935. H. s. BOGATY PROCESS FOR BLENDING AND CONDITIONING TOBACCO 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Aug. 3, 1933 Get. 8, 1935. s. BOGATY 2,016,535 PROCESS For: BLENDING AND CONDITIONING TOBACCO I f .Original Filed Aug. 3, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Oct. 8, 1935. H. s. BOGATY PROCESS FOR BLENDING AND CONDITIONING TOBACCO Original Filed Aug. 3, 19353 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 UNITED STATE The present application Patented Oct. 8., 1935 PROCESS 2,016,535 Fon BLENDING AND, CONDI- TIONING TOBACCO Hermann S. Bogaty,

to Proctor & Schwartz, delphia, Pa., a corporation Original application August a, 1933, Serial No.

683,529. Divided and this application 1934, Serial No. 730,838

is a division of the applicant's copending application Serial No.

683,529, filed August 3,

This invention relates to an improved process for blending and conditioning tobacco, particularly tobacco which has dies each containing a of leaves bound together at their stem quantity ends, forming a head been formed into bunpredetermined number or from which the leaves extend in more or less loose relation to each other.

In blending tobacco, taining desirable qualities of fercnt varieties in correct proportions,

to provide a mixture contwo or more difit is one tomary to employ a long flat continuously moving endless belt conveyer.

Substantially one-half the conveyer, toward of the carrying run of one end thereof, is at all times disposed within a conditioning chamber while the remainderoi the carrying run of the conveyer is out in the receiving end of the open and extends beyond the conditioning chamber,

' ,to provide a loading and/or blending station in that the conditioning medium the apparatus.

The several varieties of tobacco to be blended are contained in hogsheads or other suitable re-- ceptacles disposed along the blending or loading station, adjacent the conveyer. From the different receptacles attendants take predetermined numbers of bundles oi the diflerent tobaccos and place them in flat superposed and overlapping relation to each other on the conveyer belt, as it passes by the su -stations occupied by the respective attendants.

Theloaded portion of the conveyer then passes into the conditioning chamber, wherein the tobacco is subjected to circulating currents ol moisture-laden air by less brittle tobacco le which the dry and more or aves are softened and pre-'.

pared for subsequent processing and from which the mixture is discharged into a hopper or on to another conveyer ior paratus by which the of the blendedmixture is The capacity of such transportation to the apnext step in the processing accomplished.

a blending and conditioning apparatus is obiectionably low, due to the necessity for keeping horizontally disposed leaves relatively thin the layer oisuperposed and overlappin tobacco on the conveyer, in order will penetrate to the center of the laminated layer.

Penetration to the center of the layer is at the best greatly retarded, and in thick layers prevented, by the overlapping relation oi the superposed leaves,

the uppermost of which presents a baille or barrier to downwardly moving moistureof the presents a similar barrier to upwardly moving moisture-laden air currents,

whereby the moisture sides. of the conveyer.

is carried to and around the Laterally moving air cur- Philadelphia, Pa., assignor Incorporated, Philaof Pennsylvania June 15,

7 Claims. (01; 131-55) not be uniform.

The principal object of the present invention is to increase the capacity of the blending and conditioning apparatus and to provide quick and substantially uniform penetration of themass 01 10 leaves assembled on the conveyer, by the conditioning medium. The .object is primarily obtained by arranging the leaves in substantially parallel vertical relation to each other and by passing the conditioning medium through the mass of leaves in a direction lengthwise oi the leaves.

The bundles of leaves are preferably disposed on the conveyer with the heads extending downwardly and the leavesextending upwardly there--' from and the conditioning medium is passed up-. wardly through the mass of leaves, whereby the conditioning medium penetrates all portions 01 the assembled mass substantially simultaneously by passing between the leaves'contained in each bundle in its movement lengthwise oi the-leaves.

By passing the conditioning medium lengthwise of the leaves through the mass, penetration of the mass by the conditioning medium is quickened and the length of the conditioning chamber therefore may be proportionately shortened.

Another feature of the invention resides in the manner 01 providing and forcing the conditioning medium through the masses of tobacco leaves as the tobacco invwhich the tobacco is packed with the leaves up and heads down, as noted above. The loaded containers, upon entering the forward end of the conditioning chamber, are subjected first to saturated steam released under pressure below the tobacco conveyer and which, due toits own inherent pressure, is forced up through the mass of leaves carried by the containers, the moistureladen steam being heated additionally by heating coils disposed below the conveyer. As the containers progress through the conditioning chember toward the delivery end thereof the moisture content of the conditioning medium is increased, by the spraying of water into the already partially 5o saturated steam, which tends to...reduee-the temperature of the leaves as an ante-cooling step in the process. The containers then pass into a cooling portion of the conditioning chamber wherein the heating coils are eliminated and into which the moisture-laden steam is drawn, from the forward steaming and. intermediate antecooling portions of the conditioning chamber, and through which the comparatively cool steam or resultant vapor is circulated, the circulating conis carried through the conditioning 3,,-

additional spraying of water thereinto, which further reduces the temperature thereof to a point where cooling of the tobacco leaves is readily accomplished thereby. In this manner the steam of highest temperature which is first passed through the tobacco and which normally would be exhausted into the outer atmosphere is utilized in the gradual cooling of the tobacco, thus affording a considerable saving in operating costs.

Apparatus by which the process of the present application is carried outwill be disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of-which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of the preferred lay-out embodying the conditioning chamber and the loading and unloading stations at one side thereof;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional elevation taken on the line 55, Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 6-6, Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic plan view of the steam spraying and heating piping within the conditioning chamber;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of the water piping in the cooling portion of the conditioning chamber;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic elevation of the piping shown in Figs. 7 and 8 combined;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a modified form of conditioning apparatus showing the tobacco bundles hung head up in a vertical position on transversely extending poles carried through the conditioning chamber by longitudinally moving side chains upon which the opposite ends of the poles rest;

Fig. 11 is a sectional plan view taken on the line II-II, Fig. 10; I I

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line I2-I2, Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is the transverse sectional taken on the line I3-I3, Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is the transverse sectional elevation taken on the line I 4I4, Fig. 11.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive comprises a casing I including a bottom or floor 2, side walls 3 and 4 and a roof 5, which collectively side elevation of the elevation form a chamber 6 through which tobacco is conveyed for conditioning. The conditioning cham-v ber may be said to be divided into two compartments by a transversely extending partition I, the compartment at one side of the partition 1 being a steaming compartment indicated at A, and the compartment at the opposite sideof said partition being a cooling chamber C. The end of the steaming chamber A immediately adjacent the partition I may be termed an ante-cooling chamber or section B, as will be readily seen hereinafter.

Extending completely through the casing I from end to end thereof are inner and outer rail sections II and I2 of a conveyor-supporting track III, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The conveyer track I also comprises inner and outer rail sections I Ia and Ila which are disposed outside and to one side of the casing I. The outer rail sections I2, We of the track III are connected at the opposite ends of the casing I by curved sections I3 and I4 re- 2,016,586 ditioning medium being h'erein augmented by spectively. The inner rail sections II and Ha of the track I0 terminate adjacent the opposite ends of the casing I, in line with the pitch circles of sprocket wheels I and I5 which are disposed in horizontal planes and rotate about vertically ex- 5 tending axes of drive shafts I1 and I8, to which the sprocket wheels I5 and I5 are respectively secured.

Running on and supported by the rails II, Ila and passing around the sprockets I5 and I6 is an endless conveyer chain 20, which comprises a series of links connected by vertically extending pintles. Each of the links II is provided with a pair of supporting rollers 25 rotatably mounted in the link and adapted to ride on the upper sur- 15 faces of the rails I I, I la, and on horizontal flanges I 54: and Ilia of the sprockets I5 and I 5 respectively, which are disposed in the same horizontal plane as the rails II, Ila of the track I0, whereby the chain will travel at all times in a horizon- 20 tel plane as it passes along the rails II, Na and around the sprockets I5 and I6.

Each of the links ZI carries a rectangular container 30 into which the tobacco is placed for, conditioning. Each container 30 comprises a rigid skeleton frame including a base, a top, a back, sides, and a front. The top,bottom, back and sides of the container '30 are closed with wire mesh screen or perforated plate permitting free circulation of the conditioning medium through the container as the container is conveyed through the casing I.

The front of the container is open and is adapted to be closed to confine the tobacco within the interior of the container by doors 40, 40 hinged to the front of the container). The interior of the container is divided in half, to form separate compartments by a transversely extend-v ing perforated plate or wire mesh partition extending from the back to the front of the container. Access to the said compartments may be had by opening the doors 40, 40 which respectively close the said compartments at the front thereof.

Projecting downwardly from the central front portion of the'bottom frame of each container 30 is a bracket 5I in which is secured -a stud or axle 52 for rotatably receiving a roller or wheel '53 which is adapted to ride on the outer rails I2 and I2a of the track Ill.

The loading of the containers 30 is acccmplished at a loading station D along a section of that portion of the track I 0 which is disposed outside the casing I, intermediate the opposite ends thereof. The receptacles containing the dific-rent varieties of tobacco to be blended are dis- 55 posed adjacent the track I0 along the loading station D to be readily accessible to the attendants 7 loading the conveyer consisting of the train of containers 30, 30.

Each of the containers 3!! is adapted to be tilted rearwardly, as indicated in Fig. 3, in one direction transversely of the track I0 and for this purpose a portion I2b of the outer rail I20. is elevated above the horizontal plane of the rail section I2. The portion I2b of the said outer rail is provided with an inturned flange I2c disposed above and overhanging the tops of the container rollers 53, to prevent tilting of the containers 30"beyond a predetermined angle.

The containers 30 are tilted rearwardly for the purpose of facilitatingthe loading of the two compartments of each container with the bundles of tobacco leaves from the various receptacles disposed along the loading station D. In loading the containers 30 the tobacco leaves of the several varieties are laid in an upright position against the rearwardly inclined back wall of the container with the heads of the bundles resting on 'the correspondingly rearwardly tilted bottom of the container. The bundlesare loosely packed in the container in this manner until full, whereupon the doors 40,- 40 are closed and locked by the attendant nearest the far end d of the loading station D, or automatically by means located near the said end of the loading station, as the train of containers moves in the direction of the arrow a, Fig. l.

The outer rail He is inclined as illustrated at lid from the level of the one end of the elevated portion I20 to level of the curved end section I; of said outer rail, said curved section being. in such a plane relative to the horizontal plane of the flange 15a. of the sprocket i5 as to move the containers from the rearwardly tilted positions shown in Fig. 3 to the substantially horizontal or level positions shown in Fig.4, as the sprocket l5 rotates and moves the train of conveyer containers from that portion ofthe track l outside the casing l on to that portion of the track within the casing I, said containers entering the casing l at the end E thereof and continuing in the level positions completely through the said .casing, from which the containers successively emerge at the end F thereof.

As the containers are carried around the sprocket iii the curved end [4 of the outer rail of the track it] begins to fall away vertically and inwardly toward the axis of the sprocket, as indicated at Na in Figs. 1 and 2. The said curved portion Ma of the outer rail of the track in merges with a compound curved portion 12a of the outer rail [2a, which in turn merges into a vertically disposed portion ii! of the rail.

As the containers move around sprocket it the wheels 53 of the containers ride the inwardly descending portion Ma of the curved end M of said rail, which causes the containers to tilt outwardly as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5, and as the movement of the containers continues and the wheels 53 ride the compound curved portion We of the said outer rail and on to the vertical portion i2! thereof the said containers 30 are tilted to a position substantially at 90.with respect to the normal level position in which they travel through the casing I, such position being clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. V

As each container moves into a position wherein its roller 53 is in engagement with the vertical portion l2} of the outer rail I20 the doors 0 of the containers 30 are automatically swung open a to the position shown in Fig. 4 whereby the entire contents of each compartment of each container 30 is discharged from the container, in the present instance on the carrying runof a belt conveyor 60 by which the mixture of tobacco within the containers is transported to the apparatus for accomplishing the next step in the processing of the mixture.

The doors 40 are each maintained in an open,

position as the said containers pass from the discharging station G to the receiving end 11 of the loading station D, said containers being moved from the extreme forwardly tilted positionin Fig. 4 to the rearwardly tilted loading position shown in Fig; 3, by the wheels 53 riding an outwardly and upwardly bent compound curved portion |2g of the outer rail I2a.

The sprockets l5 and I6. either or both, may be driven by any suitable motive power through any suitable type of power transmission, for

driving the chain 20 continuoushr or intermittently. as occasion may demand or as may be desired, for carrying the train of conveyer containers along the course and through the cycle of movements described above. 5

The conditioning medium employed in the present instance is a comparatively wet steam which is jetted into thelower portion 8a of the conditioning chamber 6 through and by a series of perforated pipes 60, which are horizon- 1o tally disposed below the bottom of the train of conveyer containers 30 and extend longitudinally of the chamber 6, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9. The pipes 60 are perforated on their lower sides to direct the jets of steam downwardly toward the floor 2 of thesaid chamber for tempering before contacting the tobacco in the containers.

Adjacent and substantially parallel to the steam jet pipes 60 is a series of heating pipes Si by which the temperature of the steam in the lower portion 6a of the chamber .6 may be controlled as desired. The steam escapes from the pipes 66 at a predetermined pressure and builds up in the lower portion 6a of the chamber 6 from which and by its own pressure the steam ascends in the chamber 6 and is forced throughthe perforated bottoms of the containers into and through the mass of tobacco T in each of the compartments of each container. 3

The fronts and backs of the containers are so closely positioned with respect to the walls 3 and 4 of the chamber B and the containers 30 of the train are positioned in such close relation to each other longitudinally of the ,conveyer as to prevent excessive amounts of the conditioning medium from passing around the containers, thereby forcing the conditioning medium to pass upwardly through the containers, whereby the said conditioning medium must 40 of necessity find passage through the mass in each container, between the bundles and between the leaves of the individual bundles of tobacco, whereby the entire contents of each container is subjected to contact with the conditioning medium substantially simultaneously.

The conditioning medium after rising through the containers 30 and the tobacco confined therein accumulates in the upper portion 6b of the. chamber] through which the said medium 0 passes longitudinally of the casing i toward the delivery end thereof, as will be hereinafter described.

In that portion of the steaming compartment A immediately adjacent the transverse perm-' tion I, the steam being jetted from the pipes is augmented by water sprayed from spray heads 6! fed by water pipes 63 which run substantially parallel to the steam jet and heating pipes 60 and ii. The heads 62 spray the water into 60 the body of steam in the lower portion 6a of the chamber 6 and the temperature of the conditioning medium is thereby reduced to some extent below the temperature of the conditioning medium in the forward or receiving end of the 65 chamber 6 and as this augmented steam rises I through the containers disposed adjacent the partition 8 within the steaming compartmentA the temperature of the tobacco will be correspondingly reduced, in what may be termed an ante-cooling step in the conditioning process.

The partition I as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6, is provided with an opening la sufllciently large to permit the containers 30 to pass through from the steaming compartment A to the cooling compartment C, wherein the heating pipes are eliminated and a series of steam jet pipes 990 are provided, together with a series of water pipes 63a provided with spray heads 92a .by which the temperature and/or moisture content oi. the

cnditioning medium are governed.

Adjacent and running longitudinally of and parallel with the cooling compartment C, the casing I is provided with a lateral extension 95 forming a circulating chamber or compartment C adjacent the cooling chamber or compartment C, said extension 95 comprising a wall 69 substantially parallel to the side wall 9 of the casing I, a floor 61 in the plane of the floor 2 of the compartment 6, a roof 58 in the plane of the roof 5 of the casing I, an end wall 69 substantially in the plane of the partition I and an end wall I9 substantially in the plane of the end wall at the discharge end F of the casing I.

It will be here noted that the casing I is provided with cndwalls II and I2 at the receiving end E and discharge end F thereof respectively which, like the partition I, are provided with openings just sufiiciently large to permit of the passage of the containers 39 into and'out of the conditioning chamber 9.

The conditioning medium is circulated upwardly through the cooling compartment-C and downwardly through the circulating chamber C and is drawn from the upper portion 9b of the" chamber 6 and discharged into the lower portion 6a of the said chamber through openings 11 and 13 formed in the upper and lower portions respectively of that part of the wall 4 disposed between the cooling compartment C and circulating chamber C In its downward course through the chamber C1, the conditioning medium is further cooled and saturated with water from-spray heads I4 fed by the water pipe I5 extending longitudinally, of the circulating chamber C The spent steam in the upper portion 6b of the steaming compartment A is drawn toward and through an opening 1b formed in the upper porticn oi the partition I by means of circulating fans 19 disposed in the openings 11 formed in the upper portion of the wall 4 between the cooling compartment C and the circulating chamber C; as clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

Adjacent each of the openings 11 a longitudinally extending inclined baflie I9 is provided which directs the flow 01' conditioning medium outwardly toward the center of the chamber 9 before permitting it to be drawn through the openings T! by the fans 19.

In this manner the spent steam in the upper portion 9b of the steaming compartment A which normally would be exhausted to the outer atmosphere is carried or drawn into the cooling chamber and its temperature reduced for cooling oi the tobacco by the spraying of the water from the heads 92a and 14.

through the whole of easing I toward the delivery end thereof from which the conditioning medium is finally exhausted through a suitable flue I9.

The portion of the cooling compartment 0 immediately adjacent the delivery end of the casing I is devoid of all piping and the conditioning medium is merely circulated through the compartment C and chamber C and through the containers of tobacco within the compartment C by the second fan 19a.

11' desired a portion of the conditioning medium maybe exhausted from an intermediate portion of the cooling compartment C through a flue 89; and if desired, a flueBI may be provided adjacent the receiving end of the casing I to exhaust a portion of the steam therefrom im mediately adjacent the opening in the wall II, to carry oil such steam as would tend to pass out of the casing through the container entrance opening in the end wall II.

Figs. 17 to 21 inclusive illustrate a modified form or the invention wherein the bundles of tobacco T are hung, heads up, on sticks or poles 99 whichare supported at their opposite ends byand on horizontally moving chains or belts 9|, 9| which pass longitudinally through a conditioning chamber provided in and by a casing 92. The casing 92 is provided with a partition 99 which divides the interior of the casing 92 into two separate compartments 99 and 95. The partition 93 is provided with an opening 99 through which the tobacco passes trom one compartment to the next.

Adjacent the receiving end 01 the casing 92 a and substantially parallel to the end wall 91 thereof the said casing is provided with a par-ti 3 ticn 99, forming an end compartment which communicates with the flue 99 by which conditioning medium may be discharged from the receiving end or the casing 92.

Spaced inwardly from the end wall I99, at

the discharge end of the casing 92, is a similar partition I9I which provides a second end compartment communicating with a flue I92, for exhausting the conditioning medium from the discharge end of the casing 92. A supplementary 4 flue II3 communicates with the interior of the casing 92 adjacent the partition II, for exhausting the conditioning medium from the compart-. ment 95 of said casing.

Along one of its sides the casing 92 is provided 5 with a circulating chamber I99 which is divided by a partition 93a into two compartments I9 and 19b which communicate respectively with the interiors of the conditioning compartments 94 and 95, through openings I99 and Ill formed in the upper portion of the side wall I 990! said casing, which separates the compartments 99 and 95 from the compartments I920 and I931).

Adjacent the partition 93 and the floor II! of the casing 92 the side wall Ill is provided'with 0 an opening I91 which communicates with an opening I99 formed in the lower portion of the partition 99 by a conduit III.

In the side wall I99, within the chamber 99 and adjacent the door I91, the side wall provided with openings III, III- in which are disposed circulating fans H2, H2. The circulating tans II2'draw the conditioning medium from the lower portion of the compartment 99, and

also from the lower portion or the circulating 7o compartment I990 through the conduit H9, and force said conditioning medium upwardly through the circulating compartment l92b, from which the conditioning medium passes laterally through the opening I99 into the conditioning 15 downwardly through the throu h said The lower portions of the compartment 84 and;

95 are provided with steam jets and water spray/ pipes, and, if desired, heating pipes, which sup} ply the conditioning medium to the lower portion of the casing 92. l

In the steaming comp rtment I04 the conditioning medium rises of its own pressure, through the downwardly hanging tobacco bundles T and passes into the upper portion of the conditioning or steaming chamber 94 from which the steam passes laterally throughthe opening I04 into the circulating compartment l03a, at one side of the partition 93a, thence downwardly and through the conduit H0 into the lower portion, of the compartment 95. The conditioning medium then is drawn through the ports I I, II from the lower portion of the compartment ing chamber was at-the opposite side of the partition 93a, wherein the conditioning medium is forced upwardly and thence through the opening I05 in the side wall I08 to the upper portion of the chamber 95, wherein the conditioning medium by reason of the circulation created by the fans H2 moves downwardly through the tobacco and again into and through the ports H I, a portion of the conditioning medium finally being discharged from the one end of the compartment 85 through the flue H3 while that portion of the conditioning medium which passes through theopening in the partition llll with the tobacco rises in the extreme end of the casingfl and is drawn therefrom by the-flue I02. i

I claim:

l. The method for conditioning tobacco which comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in close lateral abutting relation within a substantially closed chamber, admitting conditioning vapor under pressure to the chamber below the leaves to force its way upwardly through the mass lengthwise of and between the leaves, moving the vertically arranged leaf mass longitudinally of the chamber; and augmenting the vapor with moisture before its passage through the tobacco -mass in a portion of the chamber through which the mass subsequently passes.

2. The method for conditioning tobacco which comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in close lateral abutting relation within a substantially closed chamber, admitting conditioning vapor under pressure to the chamber below the leaves to force its way upwardly through the mass lengthwise of and between the leaves, moving the vertically arranged leaf mass longitudinally of the chamber, heating the vapor before its passage upwardly through the tobacco mass and augmenting the vapor with moisture before its passage through the tobacco massin a portion of the chamber through which the mass subsequently passes.

3. The method for conditioning tobacco which comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in close laterial abutting massed relation within a substantially closed chamber, progressively moving the leaf mass longitudinally of and through the chamber, admitting conditioning vapor under pressure to the chamber below the leaf mass along the-"course traversed thereby to force its way upwardly through the mass, lengthwise of and between the vertically arranged leaves, drawing the vaporfroxn above the leaf mass after it has passed through the leaf mass in 95 int o the circulatto force its way 5 s (1 one portion of the traversed course and circulating the drawn vapor vertically through the mately traversed by the leaf: mass.

4. The method for conditioning tobacco which leaves, heating the vapor prior to its passage into drawing the vapor from above the leaf mass after it has passed through the leaf mass in said one portion of the traversed course and circulating the drawn vapor vertically through the leaf mass in another portion of the course ultimately traversed by the leaf mass.

5. The method for conditioning tobacco which comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in close lateral abutting massed relationwithin a substantially closed chamber,.progressively moving the leaf mass longitudinally of and through the chamber, admitting conditioning vapor under the leaf mass,

pressure to the chamber below the leaf mass along one portion of the course traversed thereby to' force its way upwardly through the mass /leaf mass in another portion of the course ulti- "comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in lengthwise of and between the .vertically arranged leaves, augmenting the vapor with moisture at a subsequently traversed portion of the course of travel. of the mass before entrance into the mass, drawing the vapor from after it has passed through the leaf mass in said one portion of the traversed course andcirculating the drawn vapor vertically through the leaf of thecourse ultimately mass in another portion traversed by the leaf mass. l

6. The method for conditioning, tobacco which comprises supporting tobacco leaves vertically in close lateral abutting massed relation within a substantially closed'chamber, progressively moving the leaf mass longitudinally of and through the chamber, admitting'conditioning vapor under pressure to the chamber below the leaf mass along one portion of the course traversed thereby upwardly through the mass lengthwise of andbetween the vertically arranged .leaves, heating the vapor prior to its passage into the leaf mass, augmenting the v ture at a subsequently traversedportion of the course of travel of the mass before entrance into the mass, drawing the vapor-from above the leaf 1 mass after it has passed through the leaf mass in said portions of the traversed course and circulat-- ing the drawn vapor vertically through the leaf mass in another portion of the course ultimately traversed by the leaf mass.-

7. The method for conditioning tobacco wherein the tobacco leaves are bundled with the stem ends of a plurality of leaves bunched and bound together as a head, said method comprising the supporting of the tobacco bundles vertically in close lateral abutting relation with the heads down in a substantially closed chamber, admitting a conditioning medium in the chamber below the bundle heads, and passing the conditioning medium upwardly through the iaterallytabutting. tobacco bundles lengthwise of the leaves from the stems to' the tips of leaves.

above the leaf mass,

vapor with moiss. BOGATY. 

